---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Ecclesiastes 2:1. I will prove thee with mirth — This is well expressed by the author so often referred to. Having tried speculative knowledge in va"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/ecclesiastes/2"
---

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:1](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/1). ***I will prove thee with mirth*** — This is well expressed by the author so often referred to. Having tried speculative knowledge in vain, passion and appetite whisper, -
"From the rugged thorny road
Of wisdom, which so ill repays thy toil,
Turn back, and enter pleasure's flowery paths.
Go, take thy fill of joy; to passion give
The reins; nor let one serious thought restrain
What youth and affluence prompt."

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:2](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/2). ***I said of laughter*****, It is*****mad*** — Literally "To laughter I said, O mad one! and to mirth, What is this one doing?"
Solomon does not speak here of a sober enjoyment of the things of this world, but of *intemperate pleasure*, whose two attendants, *laughter* and *mirth* are introduced by a beautiful *prosopopoeia* as two persons; and the contemptuous manner wherewith he treats them has something remarkably striking. He tells the *former* to her face that *she is mad*; but as to the *latter*, he thinks her so much beneath his notice, that he only points at her, and instantly turns his back.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:3](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/3). ***To give myself unto wine***, **(*****yet acquainting*** [נהג noheg, "guiding"] ***mine heart with wisdom,)*** — I did not run into *extremes*, as when I gave up myself to *mirth* and *pleasure*. *There*, I threw off all restraint; *here*, I took the middle course, to see whether a *moderate* enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:4](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/4). ***I builded me houses*** — Palace after palace; the house of the forest of Lebanon, [1 Kings 7:1](../../../kjv/1-kings/7/1), c. a house for the queen; the temple, c., [2 Chronicles 8:1](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/8/1), c. [1 Kings 9:10](../../../kjv/1-kings/9/10), &c., besides many other buildings of various kinds.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:5](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/5). ***I made me gardens and orchards*** — פרדסים *pardesim*, "paradises." I doubt much whether this be an original *Hebrew* word. [Arabic] *ferdoos*, is found in the *Persian* and *Arabic*; and signifies a *pleasant garden*, a *vineyard*. Hence our word *paradise*, a place *full of delights*. How well Solomon was qualified to form *gardens, orchards, vineyards, conservatories*, c., may be at once conceived when we recollect his knowledge of *natural history* and that he wrote treatises on vegetables and their properties, from the *cedar* to the *hyssop*.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/6). ***Pools of water*** — *Tanks* and *reservoirs*.
***To water therewith the wood*** — Aqueducts to lead the water from the tanks to different parts.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:7](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/7). ***Servants and maidens*** — For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors.
***Servants born in any house*** — Besides those hired from without, he had *married couples* in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves.
***Great and small cattle*** — *Oxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels*, and such like; with *sheep* and *goats*. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his household consumed daily *ten stall-fed oxen, with twenty from the pasture, with a hundred sheep*; besides *harts, roebucks, fallow deer, fatted fowls*, and other kinds of provision. Probably, such another court for splendor and expense was not in the universe.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:8](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/8). ***The peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces*** —
1. The *taxes* levied off his subjects.
2. The *tribute* given by the neighboring potentates. Both these make the "peculiar treasure of kings;" *taxes* and *tribute*.
***Men singers and women singers*** — This includes all *instrumental* and *vocal* performers. These may be called the delights of the sons of men.
***Musical instruments, and that of all sorts***.] For these *seven* words, there are only *two* in the original, שדה ושדות *shiddah* *veshiddoth*. These words are acknowledged on all hands to be utterly unknown, if not utterly inexplicable. Some render them *male* and *female captives*; others, *cups* and *flagons*; others, *cooks* and *confectioners*; others, *a species of musical compositions* derived from a celebrated Phoenician woman named *Sido*, to whom Sanchoniatha attributes the invention of *music*. Others, with more probability, *wives* and *concubines*; of the *former* of whom Solomon had *seven hundred*, and of the *latter, three hundred*; and if these be not spoken of here, they are not mentioned at all; whereas music, and every thing connected with that, was referred to before. The author of Choheleth paraphrases thus: -
"To complete
This scene of earthly bliss, how large a span
Of that which most delights the sons of men
Fell to my portion! What a lovely train
Of blooming beauties, by connubial ties,
By purchase, or the gifts of neighboring kings,
Or spoils of war, made mine."

If, after all this, I may add one *conjecture*, it shall be this; שדה *sadeh*, in Hebrew, is a *field*, and occurs in various parts of the Bible. שדות *sadoth* is *fields*, [1 Samuel 22:7](../../../kjv/1-samuel/22/7), the points in such a case are of no consideration. May not Solomon be speaking here of *farms upon farms*, or *estates upon estates*, which he had added by purchase to the *common regal portion*? We know that a king of Israel (Ahab) once desired to have a vineyard (Naboth's) which he could not obtain: now, Solomon having spoken before of *gardens, orchards, and* *vineyards*, why may he not here speak of *supernumerary estates*? Perhaps every man who critically examines the place will be dissatisfied, and have a *conjecture* of his own.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:10](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/10). ***I withheld not my heart from any joy*** — He had every means of gratification; he could desire nothing that was not within his reach; and whatever he wished, he took care to possess.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:11](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/11). ***And, behold, all*****was*****vanity*** — Emptiness and insufficiency in itself.
***And vexation of spirit*** — Because it promised the good I wished for, but did not, could not, perform the promise; and left my soul discontented and chagrined.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/12). ***For what*****can*****the man*****do*****that cometh after the king*****?**] I have examined every thing proposed by *science*, by *maddening* *pleasure*, and by more refined and regulated *mirth*. I seized on the whole, and used them to the uttermost; and so far, that none ever shall be able to exceed me; as none can, in the course of things, ever have such *power* and *means* of *gratification*.

Verse 13. ***Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly*** — Though in none of these pursuits I found the *supreme* good, the happiness my soul longed after; yet I could easily perceive that wisdom *excelled* the *others*, as far as *light excels darkness*. And he immediately subjoins the reasons.

Verse 14. ***The wise man's eyes, c.*** — Well expressed by *Choheleth*: -
To various accidents of life exposed,
Without distinction: nor can *wisdom* screen
From *dangers, disappointments, grief*, and *pain*."

Verse 15. ***As it happeneth to the fool*** — Literally, "According as the event is to the fool, it happens to me, even me." There is a peculiar beauty and emphasis in the repetition of *me*. Having pointed out the advantages that wisdom has over folly, he takes this opportunity of reminding us of the danger of trusting too much to it, by showing that it is equally subject to the common accidents of life; and, therefore, incapable of making us completely happy. Having given his sentiments on this point in *general* terms, he proceeds to those *particular* instances wherein human prudence chiefly exerts itself; and shows how egregiously it is mistaken in every one of them.-C.

Verse 16. **There is*****no remembrance*** — The wise and the fool are equally subject to death; and, in most instances, they are equally forgotten. *Time* sweeps away all remembrances, except the very *few* out of *millions* which are preserved for a while in the *page of* *history*.

Verse 17. ***Therefore I hated life*** — את החיים *et hachaiyim, the* *lives*, both of the *wise*, the *madman*, and the *fool*. Also all the *stages* of life, the *child*, the *man*, and the *sage*. There was nothing in it worth *pursuing*, no *period* worth *re-living* and no *hope* that if this were possible I could again be more successful.

Verse 18. ***I hated all my labour*** — Because,
1. It has not answered the end for which it was instituted.
2. I can enjoy the fruits of it but a short time.
3. I must leave it to others, and know not whether a *wise man*, a *knave*, or a *fool* will possess it.

Verse 19. ***A wise*****man*****or a fool?*** — Alas! Solomon, the *wisest* of all men, made the *worst use* of his wisdom, had *seven hundred wives* and *three hundred concubines*, and yet left but *one son* behind him, to possess his *estates* and his *throne*, and that one was the silliest of fools!

Verse 20. ***I went about to cause my heart to despair*** — What makes all worse, there is no remedy. It is impossible in the present state of things to prevent these evils.

Verse 21. ***For there is a man*** — Does he not allude to himself? As if he had said, "I have laboured to cultivate my mind in wisdom and in science, in knowledge of men and things, and have endeavoured to establish *equity* and dispense justice. And now I find I *shall leave* all the fruits of my labour to *a man that hath* *not laboured therein*, and consequently cannot prize what I have wrought." Does he not refer to his son *Rehoboam*?

Verse 22. ***For what hath man of all his laborer*** — *Labour* of *body,* *disappointment* of *hope*, and *vexation of heart*, have been all my portion.

Verse 23. ***His days*****are*****sorrows*** — What a picture of human life where the heart is not filled with the peace and love of God! All his *days* are *sorrows*; all his *labours griefs*; all his *nights* *restless*; for he has no portion but merely what *earth* can give; and that is embittered by the labour of *acquisition*, and the disappointment in the using.
***This is also vanity.*** — Emptiness of good and substantial misery.

Verse 24. **There is*****nothing better for a man*** — The sense of this passage is well expressed in the following lines: -
"For these disorders wouldst thou find a cure,
Such cure as human frailty would admit?
Drive from thee anxious cares; let reason curb
Thy passions; and with cheerful heart enjoy
That little which the world affords; for here,
Though vain the hopes of perfect happiness,
Yet still the road of life, rugged at best,
Is not without its comforts.---------
Wouldst thou their sweetness taste, look up to heaven,
And praise the all-bounteous Donor, who bestows
The power to use aright."

Verse 25. ***For who can eat - more than I?*** — But instead of חוץ ממני *chuts mimmenni, more than I*; חוץ ממנו chuts mimmennu, without *HIM*, is the reading of *eight* of *Kennicott's* and *De Rossi's* MSS., as also of the *Septuagint, Syriac*, and *Arabic*.
"For who maye eat, drynke, or bring enythinge to pass without him?" - COVERDALE.
I believe this to be the true reading. No one can have a true relish of the comforts of life without the Divine blessing. This reading connects all the sentences: "This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God;-for who can eat, and who can relish without HIM? For God giveth to man that is good." It is through his liberality that we have any thing to eat or drink; and it is only through his blessing that we can derive good from the use of what we possess.

Verse [Ecclesiastes 2:26](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/26). ***Giveth - wisdom, and knowledge, and joy*** —
1. God gives *wisdom* - the knowledge of himself, light to direct in the way of salvation.
2. *Knowledge* - understanding to discern the operation of his hand; *experimental acquaintance* with himself, in the dispensing of his *grace* and the *gifts of his Spirit*.
3. *Joy*; a hundred days of ease for one day of pain; *one thousand* enjoyments for one privation; and to them that believe, *peace of conscience*, and *JOY in the Holy Ghost*.
***But to the sinner he giveth travail*** — He has a life of labour, disappointment, and distress; for because he is an enemy to God, he travails in pain all his days; and, as the wise man says elsewhere, *the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just*. So he loseth *earthly good*, because he would not take a *heavenly portion* with it.

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